Have you been looking for a pair of supportive, sturdy, lightweight, and breathable pair of running shoes for your child? Did you know that children’s running shoes are available in different widths such as narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide?

Do you feel like your children are always destroying their shoes before they outgrow them?

Do you buy a pair of shoes for your child just to find out a week later that they were NOT the right FIT and end up returning them?

Has your child been complaining about foot and leg pain?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you are not providing your child with the correct pair of running shoes. If you want to keep your child’s feet and legs healthy, you must provide them with not only the correct SHOE STYLE but also the correct SHOE SIZE.

I am here to HELP you find the perfect pair of shoes for your children. and I want you to remember this: It doesn’t matter how narrow or wide your children’s feet are, there is at least one particular shoe style that will FIT the shape of his or her feet perfectly, and I will HELP you find it! One example I always like to make is about sports shoes such as soccer cleats. Did you know that extra wide soccer cleats for children actually EXISTED? This is just one example, but you will learn about the best kids running shoes that are also available in different widths.

I have been fitting children’s shoes and orthotics for ten years at a premier children’s shoe store specializing in proper fit for over forty years. We specialize in children with foot and leg problems, but we provide regular shoe fitting as well. It’s important for us to carry top quality shoes that are available in different widths, since that’s the only way we can guarantee to FIT every single child.

I am familiar with most children’s shoe brands and shoe styles. What I have learned thorough all of these years is that it doesn’t matter how supportive and well-made the shoes that you provide for your child are, if they are not fitted properly (the correct size), your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer and you will end up creating all sort of foot issues to his or her feet such as blisters, calluses, and corns.

I always recommend that parents take their kids to their local children’s shoe store where a shoe fitter can properly measure their feet and find shoes accordingly. The issue is that most local children’s shoe store have been closing, and we are left with big retailers such as Nordstrom’s or Payless, which have sales staff and not trained shoe fitters that don’t know how to properly FIT shoes.

The reason why I mention this is because I have helped hundreds of children that were experiencing foot, knee, and leg pain due to wearing the wrong pair of shoes that were purchased from those stores. Numerous parents have contacted me because they don’t have a local shoe store in their area and must get their kids’ shoes online. If you are one of those parents, start by reading a post I wrote where I describe the best way to make sure your child is wearing the correct shoe size:

I also wanted to mention this, when it comes to children’s running shoes, a higher priced shoe doesn’t automatically translates into a better shoe for your child’s feet. You can find reasonable priced shoes that will provide the same features than a shoe that is higher price. FIT remains our top priority!

Now I will not only be describing what type of features a particular running shoe style must provide, but also in what different widths that shoe style is available. Remember that all children’s feet are different, and while most children have a medium width foot, I have helped thousands of children that had narrow, wide, or extra wide feet find the correct type of shoes.

Here is a list of the features that you will be getting in the best 2018 children’s shoes. Keep in mind that certain shoes will be providing all of the features below, while some of them will provide a combination of them.

A substantial and supportive sole: This will help reduce the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take every time they become in contact with the ground.

A firm heel counter: This will help strengthen and straighten your kids’ ankles. If the shoe that you provide for your child has a heel counter that is too flimsy, your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoe has to offer. Please take a look at the picture below for clarification on where the heel counter of the shoe is.

Good traction: This will prevent your child from slipping and falling down.

Breathable: The shoes must be breathable in order to prevent the buildup of bacteria inside the shoe.

Removable insole: The shoe that you provide for your child should come with a removable insole, in order for you to be able to take it out when you are fitting the orthotic inside the shoe.

Before you choose a pair of running shoes for your child, you must ask yourself the following questions.

How is this shoe cut?

Does it run long or short?

Will it FIT the shape of my child’s feet?

Does the shoe provide enough support?

I will provide you with a detailed description that will answer all your questions about how that particular shoe style FITS.

Are you ready to learn about the best children’s running shoes? I will break it down by stage to make it easy for you and I will start with toddler shoes, so if you have an older child, just scroll down until you find your kids’ section.

The Best Everyday Shoes For Toddlers Learning How To Walk!

The word toddler is derived from “to toddle”, which means to walk unsteadily. Before I show you a selection of the best toddler shoes there is one important fact that you must remember: Toddlers should walk barefoot as often as possible in order to promote good balance, posture and coordination. However, shoes play a key role in keeping their feet and legs healthy when you start taking them outside to the playground or the shopping mall.

In order to keep your toddler’s feet and legs healthy the shoes should provide the following features:

The shoes should be made out of leather and textile.

Deep flex grooves enables toddler’s natural movement.

Anti-microbial lining treatment reduces odor.

The shoes should come with rounded soles which reduce stumbles and improve balance.

The shoes should come with soft memory foam which lines every pair.

The shoes should open nice and wide to make it easy to put the shoe on and take it off.

The shoes should be durable (your child should always outgrow the shoes before they are ready to be replaced).

The shoes should be available in different widths such as medium, wide, and extra wide.

These are the features that the shoes I will recommend below will provide to your children. However, there are certain features that the shoes will NOT provide and you can find them below:

The shoes will be not waterproof.

The shoes are not meant to be worn for a child that is already walking.

Below you can find a selection of the best everyday shoes for toddlers that are learning how to walk. PLEASE keep in mind that these shoes are only meant for toddlers who are still learning how to walk. These shoes will FIT children who have a medium, wide, or extra wide feet.

These are the top 4 shoes I have fitted for children who are learning how to walk and they are available in different widths such as medium, wide, and extra wide. The shoes also run “true to size“, so whatever shoe size your chil measures in the shoe measuring scale, just go a half a size up in order to leave growing room.

What are the CONS of these shoe styles?

The first drawback is that these shoe styles are not available with shoelaces. and the second drawback is that these shoe styles are not meant to be worn in hard surfaces.

What are parents saying about these shoe styles? Below you will find reviews from parents just like you that might have been looking for good shoes for their children for a while, and probably have the same concerns as you! So let’s take a look at what they are saying about these shoe styles:

“My little guy loves these shoes! They are so easy to put on he can do it by himself (mostly, I still have to tighten them, but for a 2yr old that’s pretty good). They are also nice and light!”

“You will love how easy these shoes are to put on and take off! “

“So, we have been searching for a shoe that our daughter can actually walk in and these work great. All the other shoes we tried she was walking around like a cat with tape on its feet”.

I describe shoes for children with medium, wide, and extra wide feet but if your toddler has narrow feet, we must find a pair of shoes to fit the shape of his or her feet as well.

Below you can find the best everyday shoe for toddlers that are learning how to walk but that will fit a toddler with a NARROW foot. Please keep in mind that shoes that come with shoelaces will always provide more stability and support to your child’s feet than the ones that come with velcro closure.

This particular shoe style runs LONG. Don’t go any longer of what your child’s foot actually measures, since you will be still leaving a good amount of growing room.

What are the CONS of this shoe style?

The shoe style is only available with shoelaces and not velcro closure.

What are parents saying about this shoe style?

“Super cute and perfect fit!”

“I have been looking for a shoe that will fit my child with narrow feet for a long time now. All shoes I got for my daughter before were too wide around her heels and kept popping out. I couldn’t believe how well this shoe style fits my daughter’s narrow feet!”

“If your toddler has narrow feet and you have been struggling to find shoes that FIT, this is the to go shoe for your child.

The Best Everyday Shoes For Toddlers Who Are Already Walking! Ages 1 To 4

The shoes for a toddler who is already walking are very different from the ones that the ones of a toddler learning how to walk. When children start walking, they are putting more pressure to their feet and legs, so they need a more substantial, supportive shoe to minimize the impact that they feet receive every time they come in contact with the ground.

The shoes must still be lightweight and flexible, but they need to come with a sturdier sole and a firmer heel counter.

There are several features that a good shoe must provide in order to keep our toddler’s feet and legs healthy and these are the features of the shoes I will describe below:

Support: The shoes that you provide for your toddler must be lightweight and flexible, but at the same time supportive in order to minimize the impact that their feet receive every time they become in contact with the ground.

A firm heel counter: This is important in order to provide our kids’ with good ankle support. This is especially important for toddlers since most of the time they are performing later movements.

Lightweight: The shoes must be lightweight in order for our child’s feet and legs to not become tired easily.

Traction: This is also really important since we don’t want our children slipping and falling, especially when they are walking around slippery surfaces.

Breathable: In order to prevent the build of bacteria and prevent foot odor, the shoes must be breathable.

Below you can find a selection of the best shoes for toddlers who are already walking and have a medium, wide, or an extra wide foot.

The Saucony shoe styles run in “small”, so consider getting your child a whole size longer than what they measure in the shoe measuring scale to allow for growing room. The New Balance shoe styles run “true to size”, so go only a half a size longer from what they measure.

What are the CONS of these shoe styles?

They are not waterproof.

What are parents saying about these shoe styles?

“The Saucony shoes are my favorite shoes to buy for my son. They hold up well for the price and usually by the time they start showing wear or the velcro is wearing out, it’s time to by him a new pair in a bigger size. I’ve thrown these in the washer on a gentle cycle and let them air dry when they get filthy, without any issue”.

“Granddaughter in only 2 but has WIDE feet. It is hard to find a WIDE shoe for a toddler size. I ordered 8 WIDE in this shoe for her and it slipped right on perfectly. Not pinching her toes. Her other sneakers were size 7 from Walmart and they pinched her toes”.

“If your child has extra wide feet, you can’t go wrong with New Balance. This brand seems to make the widest shoes for children”.

If your child has narrow feet, please find below a selection of the best shoes for toddlers who are already walking.

These shoe styles run short, but because your child has narrow feet, you should still only go up a half a size of whatever size your child measures.

What are the CONS of these shoe styles?

They are not waterproof.

What are parents saying about these shoe styles?

“These are as all purpose a shoe can get for my athletic, gotta move son. Remarkably, I found these on Amazon for a much lower price than elsewhere in the highly desirable, vibrant blue green color! A added score”!

“My son has really narrow feet and it’s always a struggle to find shoes that fit. Asics is the shoe brand to go if your child has narrow feet!”

My son always complains about his feet moving too much inside the shoes. The Saucony baby ride fits the shape of his feet perfectly”.

The Best Everyday Shoes For Children! – Ages 4 To 12

This is the phase where your child is already walking and running at a whole different level, and the shoes must be supportive, lightweight, flexible, and breathable.

Your child might be really active or not, but either way, the shoes I will describe below are extremely durable which means that your child will outgrow his or her shoes before they get destroyed.

Let’s take a look at the features the shoes must provide for these age stage:

The shoes must come with a reinforced stitched toe cap meaning that the outsole is stitched directly to the upper for exceptional durability.

The shoes must come with a removable inner sole to accommodate a medical orthotic.

The cushion of the shoes must minimize shock during impact phase and allows for a smooth transition to midstance.

The shoes must come with a mesh lining which will allow your child’s foot to breathe and prevent the buildup of bacteria inside the shoe.

The shoes must come with a rubber sole that provides good traction for when your child is walking or running, especially in wet surfaces.

The shoes described below are ideal for young kids who need an everyday shoe with versatility, great cushioning, comfort and durability! These shoes will FIT a child with a medium, wide, or an extra wide foot.

The shoes in the first-row fit “short”,which means that you need to go a whole size longer of the size that your child measures in the shoe measuring scale in order to allow for growing room.

The shoes in the second-row fit “true to size”,which means that you need to go a half a size longer of the size that your child measures in the shoe measuring scale in order to allow for growing room.

What are the CONS of these shoe styles?

They are not waterproof.

What are parents saying about these shoe styles?

“Great shoes!! NB really does kids shoes very well! They hold up and they are pretty much the only brand we buy for the kids! Highly recommend!”

“New Balance makes some of the most supportive shoes and we were even able to fit an orthotic inside the shoe. We chose the XW”

If your child has narrow feet, please take a look at a selection of the best narrow shoes for young kids.

These shoe styles run “short“, which means that you should go a whole size up of whatever shoe size your child measures in the shoe measuring scale in order to allow growing room.

What are the CONS of these shoe styles?

They are not waterproof.

What are parents saying about these shoe styles?

“My son loves these sneakers! He was always complaining about his shoes feeling too roomy and wide. He now says they feel light and comfy on his feet!! The colors are a lot better in person than they were online too!

“My child always complained about his shoes feeling too wide until we decided to start providing him with Asics”They are also durable by little guy standards, the tread holds up as an everyday shoe that is pounded on at the playground, gym and on the trails. Of course, it is not infinite and after 4 months to a semester, wear and tear appears but again as a shoe worn 7 days a week, we are so satisfied that we line up a new pair”.

The Best Everyday Shoes For Teenagers! – Ages 12 And Up

At this stage your child might be playing sports competitively and stressing his or her feet and legs at a whole different level. The shoes that we want to provide for our teenage children must be supportive, lightweight, flexible, and breathable.

We must find shoes that come with a substantial sole in order to provide shock absorption and minimize the impact that our children’s feet take every time they become in contact with the ground. A shoe with a firm heel counter will provide good ankle support and prevent ankle injuries.

The issue that most parents have to deal with at this stage is that their children want to look trendy from the type of clothes they have, to the type of phone and also the type of shoes. It’s important not to neglect your kids’ from wearing the type of shoes that they like, as long as they are willing to wear their everyday supportive shoes for most of the day.

Please understand that the right type of shoes will prevent injuries and allow your teenage child to perform at his or her best.

Keep in mind that you still need to leave a certain amount of growing for your child since girl’s feet keep growing until they reach the age of 14, while boys feet growth stops when they reach 16 years of age.

Below you can find a selection of the best shoes for teenage kids! If your child has a medium, wide, or extra wide feet please take a look at the selection below!

These shoe styles run “true to size”, which means that you need to go a half a size longer of the size that your child measures in the shoe measuring scale.

What are the CONS of these shoe styles?

They are not waterproofed.

What are parents saying about these shoe styles?

“My children have been wearing New Balance shoes for years because they have wide feet and need wider shoes. They have worn this particular shoe style (M840V3) for the last 3 years now. I recommend these shoes for teenage children who have problems with wearing ordinary shoes. You will be also able to put an orthopedic insole in case your child needs it”.

“The shoes come with a nice round toe-box. The shoes also will provide your child with soft cushion and will hold your kids’ heels tight”.

If your child happens to have a narrow foot, please choose from the shoes shown below.

These shoe styles run “short”,which means that you need to go a whole size longer of the size that your child measures in the shoe measuring scale in order to allow for growing room.

What are the CONS of these shoe styles?

They are not waterproofed.

What are parents saying about these shoe styles?

“After ordering and returning 5 different pairs of Nike shoes for my son including ones that were extremely expensive, I’ve come to the conclusion that Nike doesn’t know how to make shoes that fit anymore. they are all too flimsy and seem like they will fall apart after a couple weeks. So I found these for my teenage child and ordered him his first pair of Asics. He loves them!”

” Asics are the best shoes if your child has narrow feet. My son loves how snug these shoes feel. This is the must go-to shoe brand for children who have narrow feet!”

PLEASE remember that it doesn’t matter how supportive, lightweight, flexible, breathable and durable the shoe is, if it’s not fitted properly (by this I mean the correct shoe length and the correct shoe width), your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer!

Don’t Forget About The Socks – Keep Your Children’s Feet Healthy!

Before you leave, I wanted to emphasize that the socks that you choose to provide for your child will play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet healthy. Socks act as a barrier between our kids’ feet and the shoes, and they prevent blisters and the buildup of bacteria inside the shoe.

There is a certain amount of children who refuse to wear socks with their shoes. This might be because they feel every bump and lump of the socks. If your child is having a hard time dealing about how the socks feel, you should provide them with a pair of seamless socks. While I can’t get into too much detail about the best seamless socks in this article, there is a post I wrote that you could benefit from reading and it’s called:

Is there a particular shoe store in your area that you will recommend to have children fitted for shoes? Parents are always asking me about where they can find a children’s shoe store in their particular state or country so if there is a particular shoe store you will confident recommending, please do it in the comments section below.

STOP BUYING THE WRONG PAIR OF SHOES FOR YOUR CHILDREN.LET’S START TAKING CARE OF THEIR FEET!

I created this webpage to help parents understand the importance that shoes have in healthy foot development and how they can prevent foot problems in the future.Join the rest of the parents who are taking care of their kid’s feet and get my guide for free: 10 Mistakes Parents Must Avoid When Buying Shoes for their Kids.

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About me

I have been fitting children’s shoes and orthotics for ten years at a premier children’s shoe store specializing in proper fit for over forty years. Every week I help hundreds of children find the best shoes to fit their particular feet. Bones in children are not entirely developed and if a shoe is not properly fitted, then the child’s body’s biomechanics can be altered. It doesn't matter what type of feet your kids have (narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide), there is a style of shoe that will work best for their feet, and you WILL find it here!

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